Been a hot minute. Got an update, and I apologize for being so awfully inconsistent.

Howling from right outside my bedroom window jerks me awake at… three AM? What the hell?

There's another howl. So loud it rattles my windows.

I get up and look around my bedroom in a daze.

"What the fuck." I murmur.

The same wolf is howling over and over.

I crawl across my tangle of blankets and look out my window. Embry's wolf is leaning up against my house, howling.

"Oh hell." I growl. There's urgency in his howl. I open the window and pull myself out, sitting on the edge of the window sill.

I look around and see half of the pack standing around my bedroom window. A particularly cold blast of icy wind causes me to shudder as the wind cuts through me like a knife.

That shouldn't happen. Unless… Dani.

"There had better be a fucking stupendous reason the whole goddamn pack is howling at my bedroom window at three in the fucking morning." I growl. Embry whines from beside me as there's an upset in the pack.

I pull the sleeves up on my long sleeved shirt and reach over, grabbing Embry's scruff. He flinched, as if unsure what I was doing until I closed my eyes and opened his thoughts to me.

-should we tell her about Dani?

"What about her?" I growl.

Jake imprinted on her. Sam adds. Can you hear us through Embry?

I look around and realize Paul is absent.

"Yeah I know he imprinted on my sister, I told Paul to lay the fuck off this morning. And yeah Sam, I hear you. I can read minds as long as I'm touching the person." I flick my eyes to Embry's. "Wolf."

He comes closer to my window so I'm leaning out as far and that is much nicer for me. Much more comfortable. "Dani's a little different, she can't control whether she reads someone's mind or not when she touches them. Just so you know to watch your thoughts around Dani when she touches you." I forewarn.

Noted. Sam murmurs. We were curious as to your thoughts on how we can help her? Morphine might help a normal human but…

I'm confused only a little.

Jake is tripping. Jared barks a laugh. Seeing your imprint in pain is the about the worst thing imaginable.

Through Embry's mind, I can see the memories of the other imprints as they recall a few times where their imprints were in pain.

"Understandable." I murmur. "But usually we ride it out. Few days and she'll be feeling better. Morphine might work… but I'm not entirely sure how effectively…" I bite my lips together and let go of Embry's scruff as I pick at the calloused skin around my thumb nail, calloused from all the time I've tore my teeth through it when I'm thinking.

"Morphine won't be strong enough. I can try to heal her internal injuries using the water in the air but that takes forever and is very energy consuming." I muse. "I could do it but I'll be out for a while."

Embry whines beside me but Sam looks contemplative. Embry noses my leg and I take that as a sign that they want me back into their conversation.

Could you try it? Sam asks. How bad are we talking here?

I sigh. "Last time we tried that, Dani ended up passing out and sleeping for sixteen hours straight in the middle of the Amazon River Basin, where I spent 12 of those hours, fighting of caiman and the other six fighting off mosquitoes the size of birds."

You've been to Brazil? Embry asks.

Thought the Amazon River was in Portugal.

My mouth falls open as everyone looks at a smaller wolf in the back. I recognize his voice and scent as Brady, the delivery boy. "Portugal is by France in Europe. Brazil is in South America… Brady you don't even have the right continent."

There's an upset in the pack as they snicker and laugh.

Embry nudges my hip with his wet nose getting my attention. The dampness of it soaks through my flannel pajama pants.

Get a grip, Kensi. Don't need the whole pack hearing your butterflies .

I rest my hand on his head between his ears and watch his tail wag slightly. And I can't help but smirk in satisfaction as he communicates his thoughts to me.

Can you do with Dani what you did with your hand earlier? With the water?

"That's not-" I pause and look to the side. "Damn that's possible. Why didn't I think of that? Embry you're a genius!"

I listen to his heart rate spike and remove my hand so as not to intrude on any of his personal thoughts for a second before replacing my hand.

How do you suggest we move her to the ocean? Jared inquires.

I frown. "Before we can move her I need to make sure her bones ossified correctly, and then we can move her. The water won't help her broken ribs, but it'll heal the internal damage. Although that should heal itself in a few days."

Is it worth doing something now then, if it's going to be healed in a few days? Sam asks.

"Hell yeah it's worth trying, but ultimately it'll be unsuccessful in fixing her bones, the true problem, and will only speed the process of healing internal damage minimally."

I bite the inside of my lips and look around. But that's when I see the flowers on the lattice. "I'm sure I can get her something that will help with the pain though." I answer.

Like what? I glance over at Embry. I slip out of my window, landing on the hard gravel before walking through the wolves to the lattice.

I point to the lattice growing on the side of the house. "This plant is native to a lab somewhere inside of Idaho that's responsible for the production of Vicodin. Turns out, Vicodin is diluted. But this is what it comes from if I'm right."

I pull one of the blossoms off and give it a sniff. It smells strongly and I wince. "Yeah that's it. Dani must've grown it here after… yeah. After that." I mutter grabbing a few of the blossoms off the plant and tucking them into my shirt.

"Pretty sure that door is locked…" I trail off looking back at my bedroom window.

"Goddammit." I growl. "Sam, I'm going to make this gross concoction that tastes like actual foot fungus for Dani to drink. All of it. And that should relieve her pain. For now. She'll need more of it later. And it might cause delusions."

I pause and shake my head, turning around to look Sam in the eyes. "Sam you and Emily shouldn't be burdened with taking care of my sister. It's about to get a hell of a lot worse here after we put these into her system." I hold up the blossoms.

Sam nods to Embry and I snap my arm out twisting my fingers into his fur. His heart beat slows and thunders against my fingertips.

Emily is happy to do it, Kensi. So am I. The entire pack owes you both more than you'll ever understand, Kensi. This is our way of repaying you both. Sam explains

Dani is an imprint. Jared reminds.

All of us would wall through hell for an imprint, whether it's ours or not. Embry informs me.

I sigh. "It feels like a handout."

Sam snorts. No. It's not. It's not a handout.

Embry nudges my thigh with his nose. Youre all honor bound, all about keeping score. Don't deny it, Paul is the same way.

Jared snorts. He keeps score, he isn't hardly honorable after what he did to his own blood. Jared's voice is punctuated with a snarl. And his version of keeping score is the polar opposite of his sister's. He's never done have good deed in his life that merits repayment like Dani and Kensi have.

I blush softly. "Thanks."

I shake my head. "It isn't fair to you guys though. Dani is about to become intoller-"

Sam cuts me off with a growl, which rises one out of Embry. The vibration of his growl reverberates my fingers. His fur ripples and his muscles tense for seconds before he calms down immediately. It was the strangest thing, the sharpest prick of protectiveness. Like part of his brain screamed threat! And then the other part of his brain was like, it's Sam!

It's our pleasure to take care of Dani. Sam says. Let Jacob have this one. When it comes to you and Dani... Dani... she's going to gave Jake hell. You're both so independent, you've got to understand that Jake is going to grasp at every opportunity to feel important to and needed by Dani.

I sigh. That makes sense.

Part of imprinting is protecting your imprint. You just saved our asses, by rescuing our imprints and then it's clear that you aren't as defenseless as the others. That wears on Jake because he feels as if he isn't needed. Jared is the voice of reason again.

I shake my head. "Sure, Dani might not need Jake to protect her from everything, but she will still need him. Dani's always been dependent on people. Don't get me wrong, she's fiercely independent, however she just needs people around her to function. She needs family and friendship and bonds to placate her. She'll always need Jake, just not for protection."

I shake my head as I dive back into my bedroom window, slamming it behind me. I snap the deadbolt unlocked, walking through the dark house, tripping over the couch that rug that was underneath the couch. And I realize the couch is gone.

"Front door's unlocked!" I say calmly as I flick on a few lights. They burn at my eyes and I wince in pain as I walk into the kitchen.

"You good?" Embry asks coming into the kitchen. "Heard you trip."

"Noticed someone moved the couch when I tripped over the edge of the rug." I say with a slightly bashful smile.

I scrub the sleep from my eyes as I throw my long and messy black trusses into a messy bun and turn the stove on with a little bit of water in it, and boil the hell out of those flowers.

I cross my arms over my chest, well aware I'm dressed to suit the homeless, but I can't find it in myself to care. You want to come around and wake me up at odd hours of the morning, at ungodly times, I don't need to be naturally beautiful.

I yawn so violently that my jaw pops and my eyes water slightly.

"Sorry to wake you." Embry says bashfully.

"Not a problem. I love waking up at three AM to the whole goddamn lupus orchestra. Fucking beautiful time."

Embry winces at my heavy sarcasm and annoyance and I immediately feel a little bad. "Sorry." I murmur. "Not a morning person."

"I'd hardly call this morning." Embry allows.

I sigh with a nod. "Good point."

I boil the hell out of those flowers until the water is a deep pink color. I grab a metal thermos out of the cabinet before carefully pouring the still boiling substance into it.

"Obviously don't let her drink this, it's piping hot right off the stove." I say tightening the lid of the bottle.

Embry nods.

"And make sure Emily knows I'll be down in the morning to keep up with her ramblings. She's sure to be an idiot on this stuff. It's nasty."

"As in tastes gross or as in does bad things to your head."

I smirk. "It's the Elemental's version of alcohol actually." I answer. "The only thing that gets us drunk. Basically, she'll be drunk enough to not notice her pain. Thankfully, its so disgusting it isn't addictive."

"Think it would work on werewolves?" Embry teases.

I pop the top on the thermos and pour some into a small glass in the window and offer it to him. "Let's find out."

Embry looks at me curiously before draining it. Or trying to. He chokes on the taste.

"Even if it does get you drunk." I start dumping that down the drain. I'm not going to make my sister drink it after Embry backwashed in it. "I don't think it's worth the taste."

"Hell no." Embry says. "That's terrible. God that's awful."

"Yeah. Be glad you aren't drinking this." I hold up the thermos before thrusting it away from me and into his chest. My knuckles graze his six pack, warm under my fingertips. If he really wants me to keep my head he ought to wear a shirt.

Maybe that's his plans.

Embry takes the thermos from me as I toss the pot onto the back patio.

"That bad huh?" Embry asks.

"Oh the scent will be gone by morning. You have to get that down her throat quickly and make sure it stays hot. Otherwise it won't work quite right. It won't be as effective. But too hot and you'll scald her."

Embry nods. "Thanks."

"Thank you." I mutter. "I'm really not good about saying it, because I really hate accepting help from others, but I'm serious. Thank you guys."

Embry shakes his head. "You're both family now, Kens." Embry says. My nickname on his tongue does things to my head, I swear.

I nod slowly. "And… thank you for a lot more than just helping my sister."

Embry is already shaking his head. "Kensi that isn't as selfless as you'd like to think that is."

I raise my eyebrows catching his smirk. "Oh? No?"

Embry laughs.

"Got an ulterior motive, Call?"

"Do you Lahote?" Embry inquires back.

"Oh no. Not the last name connecting me to Paul." I mock.

Embry smirks. "I will gladly help you out whether you want me to or not, Kensi."

"So I've realized." I retort re-crossing my arms in a different position.

"Red's your color, Kensi." Embry says turning to face the door.

"I'm not wearing red…" I trail off.

He raises his eyebrows. "Try again. I'll see you around Emily's later I'm sure. Maybe try to get some more sleep."

"Thanks Embry…" I say slightly confused. Red? I'm not wearing… Red. I am.

The bra I slept in is red. How the hell did he know that?

I look in the mirror and can see the vibrant red straps that are exposed from under the collar of my shirt and again in the front through a rip in the front of the old tee shirt.

Well… guess I looked more homeless than even I initially realized.

Red. Can't believe he complimented my bra. What I would've given to know why he decided to comment.

Blushing furiously I lock the deadbolt and kill the lights before walking back to my bedroom. I lie down in a massive starfish position, tangling myself in some of the blankets, while half of me isn't even on the bed at this point.

Lying on my stomach in the starfish position, I fall asleep for another four hours.